Fellow Griffin Researchers: The following information on my William Griffin was written by my great grandfather, Luther Lawrence Griffin, of Twiggs Cty, GA, 2-6-39. His information differs from other research I have seen on the William Griffin family of Twiggs County, GA. I tend to agree with what he has listed because of the names following through to the present time, i.e., Eli Shorter Griffin, etc. I'm typing it verbatim; there could possibly be misspelled words. I have double checked my typing to be assured that I have made no spelling errors. I have much more information available for those interested. I would appreciate any changes, corrections, or additions. Diane Thompson Dixon William Griffin was one of the colonists arriving in Virginia from England in the latter part of the seventeenth century. He migrated southward into the colony of North Carolina and there he married Mary E. Shorter. They moved from North Carolina to Baldwin County, Georgia, and resided for a short while, then moved to Wilkinson County, Georgia, which is now Twiggs County. Born to them were five children, namely Larkin Griffin, Lewis Lawrence Griffin, Dredd Griffin, Eli Shorter Griffin, and Mary E. Griffin. I do not know who Larkin and Lewis Lawrence Griffin married. Dredd Griffin married a Faulk from Twiggs County, and Eli Shorter Griffin married Mary Ezell. Mary E. Griffin married a Soloman from Wilkinson County (now Twiggs). Larkin Griffin was the first Senator from Twiggs County after it was created along about 1810, and died early afterwards. Lewis Lawrence Griffin served in the Legislature from Twiggs County, and Senator from the 21st Senatorial District three different times. Lewis Lawrence Griffin built the Old Monroe Railroad, the first from Macon to Griffin, Georgia. He went broke at this point and settled there. Griffin, Georgia was built and named in honor of this Lewis Lawrence Griffin (this is where I get my name). In later years, he went into the banking business here. He moved from Griffin, Georgia along about 1840 to Mississippi. I have no further record of him after moving into Mississippi. Mary E. Griffin married Henry Solomon from Wilkinson County. This proved to be one of the most prominent families of Wilkinson County, which is now Twiggs. After the death of Henry Solomon, she married a Faulk. Eli Shorter Griffin married Mary Ezell in the early days of 1830. Three children were born to this union, Allen Griffin, Rev. William Griffin, and Col. Eli Shorter Griffin. After the death of Eli Shorter Griffin, his widow, Mary Ezell Griffin, married Henry Pounds. She had one child from this marriage, Henry Pounds, Jr., who died while a very young man. Allen Griffin, the oldest son of Eli Shorter Griffin never entered into public life. His children are Billy Griffin, Emma Hold or Griffin, Eli Shorter Griffin, Jeff Griffin, Andrew Griffin, and Kate Beasley Griffin, all of whom are now dead. Rev. William Griffin (my father) was the second son of Eli Shorter Griffin. He was ordained as a Methodist preacher at the early age of 19 years, and was still active in his ministrial work when he died at the age of 63. He married Mary Lingo. He constituted 13 Methodist churches in Twiggs, Wilkinson, and Jones Counties. Before the war, he served in the Legislature and in the Senate from Twiggs County and the 21st Senatorial District. He was President of the Senate in 1877 when the Constitution of this State was revised, he was chairman of this committee. This is the Constitution still in use by the State of Georgia today. During his term of office as President of the Senate, Old Governor Joe Brown who was Governor at this time, passed away and under the Constitution of Georgia, this automatically made him Rev. William Griffin, President of the Senate, Governor of Georgia until an election could be held to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Joe Brown. He retired from Public Life until 1883, then he was elected Ordinary of Twiggs County and served in this capacity until his death November 23, 1884. His remains are in the Jeffersonville City Cemetery. His children are Laura Griffin who married John Floyd of Twiggs County. Her children are Willie Floyd, Jody Floyd, Tom Floyd, Mat Floyd, Griffin Floyd, Dick Floyd, Lee Floyd, and Evie Floyd. Laura Griffin Floyd died in 1925 and is buried in the Dudley, Georgia City Cemetery. The second child of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin was Josephine, who married Joe Vinson. Born to them were two children, Mary Lou Vinson and Joe Brown Vinson. Josephine Griffin Vinson died about 1914 and is buried in the Dexter Cemetery. Henry Llewellyn Griffin, the oldest son of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin, married Fannie Myrick, daughter of Captain Dick Myrick of Twiggs County. Born to this union were Lizzie Griffin, Ada Griffin, Fannie Belle Griffin, Pearly Griffin, Lawrence Griffin, Myrick Griffin, Minter Griffin, Arthur Griffin, and Henry Griffin. Henry Llewellyn Griffin died in 1886 and is buried in the Libery Hill Cemetery in Twiggs County, Georgia. Robert Slappy Griffin, son of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin, married Donie Vinson of Wilkinson. Their children are Emma Griffin, Vera Griffin (dead), Robert Blanche Griffin, Leon Griffin, Hattie Griffin, Bill Griffin, Tom Lee Griffin, Mae Griffin, and C. B. Griffin. Robert Slappy Griffin died January 8, 1936 and is buried in the Liberty Hill Cemetery in Twiggs County. Ella Virginia, daughter of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin, married Dock Edmondson of Twiggs County. Their children are John Edmonson (foreman of the Southern R. R. Roundhouse in Atlanta), Dolly Edmonson (dead), Kate Edmonson, Eugene Edmonson, Willie Edmonson, and Homer Edmonson, who is now chief of the Police Department in Chattanooga, Tenn. Ella Griffin Edmonson died about 1906 and is buried in Cordele, Georgia. Minnie Griffin, daughter of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin, married Newt Hudson of Wilkinson County. Their children are Fluker Hudson, Ola Hudson, Newt Hudson, Ella Hudson, Bertha Hudson, Jimmie Hudson, Lena Hudson, Tommie Hudson, Dud Hudson, and Hancel Hudson, Bessie Hudson, McKinley Hudson, and Minnie Mae Hudson. Minnie Griffin Hudson is now living in Ocilla, GA. Eli Shorter Griffin, son of Rev. William and Mary Lingo Griffin, married Lula Vinson, sister of Donie Vinson Griffin. Their children are Bessie Griffin, Willie Griffin, Horace Griffin, Ruby Griffin, Luther L. Griffin, Lewis Griffin, Inez Griffin, Maggie Griffin, Sallie Griffin, and Vinson Griffin. Eli Shorter Griffin is now living in Ocilla, GA. Luther Lawrence Griffin married Gillie Myrick, daughter of N. J. Myrick of Wilkinson County. In public service, Luther L. Griffin constituted Soloman, a Post Office near Old Marion, old county site of Twiggs in the very early days of the R.F.D. He was elected Tax Receiver of Twiggs County in 1912 and served 1913, 14, 15, 16; was re-elected in 1919 and served 1920, 21, 22, & 23. He was elected to the Georgia Legislature from Twiggs County in 1924 and served 1925, 26, 27, & 28. He was appointed a member of the State Executive Committee at Large 1933, 34, 35, & 36. He constituted a Masonic Lodge at Bullard, GA., No. 673, in 1920, and had the pleasure of raising 52 members to the Master's Degree. He is now serving as a member of the City Council of Jeffersonville, GA. His children are Mary Griffin, Minnie Griffin, William Henry Griffin, Reba Griffin, Agnes Griffin, Johnnie Griffin, Robert Shorter Griffin, Luther Griffin, and Marie Griffin. Luther Lawrence Griffin is now living in Jeffersonville, GA. Mattie Brown Griffin married B. R. Reddick of Milledgeville, GA. They are both dead and buried in the Liberty Hill Cemetery in Twiggs County. Col. Eli Shorter Griffin, brother of Rev. William Griffin and Allen Griffin, married Avie Nach (sp?) of Twiggs County. He was elected Sheriff of Twiggs County before he reached the age of 21 years. He served as Sheriff until the War of the States came on he resigned and formed a company known as the Faulk's Invincibles. They met and organized at Old Antioch Church in Twiggs County. After a very short training, they received orders to join Gen. Robert E. Lee in Virginia. There he served as Captain of his Company until he was wounded. When he was able to rejoin his Regiment, he was made Colonel of the Regiment and served in this capacity until the war closed. After he returned home, he was elected to the Legislature and Senate a good many times, the exact number and dates I have no record. He was serving in the Legislature at the time of his death. His children are Eli Shorter Griffin, who married a Miss Jones from Twiggs County. His children are Albert Griffin, Baker Griffin, Jones Griffin, Eli Shorter Griffin, Jenny Griffin, and Ava Griffin. Henry Faulk, son of Col. Eli Shorter Griffin, married Sallie Glover. His public service began when he was elected Sheriff in 1888. He served in the Georgia Legislature two terms, and in the Senate one term. He was also Chairman of the Twiggs County Board of Commissioners, and was serving as Ordinary of Twiggs County at the time of his death. He died in 1926 and is buried in the Jeffersonville, Georgia Cemetery. His children are Henry Faulk Griffin, Mary Yancy Griffin, Eleanor Griffin, Lewis Griffin, Johnnie Griffin, Nelle Griffin, and Marcia Griffin. Jenny Griffin, daughter of Col. Eli Shorter Griffin, married Johnnie Wimberly. Their children are Carrie Wimberly, Hal Wimberly, George Wimberly, and Alice Wimberly. Jenny Griffin Wimberly is dead and buried in the Jeffersonville, Georgia Cemetery. William Yancy Griffin, son of Col. Eli Shorter Griffin. married in Maryland. He begun serving the public by teaching school at Antioch Church in his early mahood. He moved to Washington D. C. about 1884. He worked for the Government in the War Department until about 1934. He has two children, Mary Yancy and William Griffin. He is now living in Washington, DC. with one of his two children. ***NOTE*** ACCORDING TO MY RECOLLECTION AND MEMORY, AND THE FAMILY HISTORY PASSED ON DOWN TO ME BY MY MOTHER, THIS IS RECORD OF MY DESCENDENTS TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. _________________________________ L. L. Griffin